!WW?i Ek - tt'r-' -' CAi WJt S" $? ' ti' I 's A "I Tl 1 PI ay ROY 'NORTON SYNOPSIS. "Vanishing Fleets." a story of "what Tuiglit have happened." opens in Wash ington with the United States and Japan iifiir war. Guy Hillier. secretary of the Hritisli embassy, and Miss Norma Rob erts, chief aide of Inventor Roberts, are introdticttl as lovers. Japan declares war mil takes the Philippines. Guy Hillier starts for England. Norma Roberts leaves Washington for the Florida coast. Hawaii is captured by the Japs. All ports re closed. Tokyo learns of missing Jap anese fleet and whole world becomes con duced that United Suites lias powerful war agency. England decides to send -i llt-et to American waters as a Canadian protection against what the British sup lose Is a terrible submarine flotilla. Hil lur Is sent with a message. Fleet mys teriously disappears. The kaiser is miss ing. King Edward of England Is con fronted b Admiral BeIns of the United States. The Dreadnaught. biggest of Eng land's warships, is discovered at an im pa.sKahle point in the Thames. The story now goes back to a time many months before the war breaks out, and Inventor Roberts visits the president and cabinet, telling of and exhibiting a metal produc tion. Tills overcomes friction when elec i rifled and is to be applied to vessels to iiu reuse sjveU to over 50 miles an hour. A city for the manufacture of the mys icrious discovery Is built on the coast of Florida. Dr. Roberts' first atter to elec trify plates proves a failure. In t second effort Norma is knocked unconscious, but the mystery or true levltation is solved, making the most important discovery of enturies. Roberts evolves a great flying machine, rendering warshipa useless. CHAPTER XVI. Continued. There when the heart of the Amer ican o eminent beat was nothing but anxiety and buspense. Each succeed ing day's events had made it more cortain that Japan would force the is sue to war, and, like an athlete, was stripping and training for the fight. The men who had taken upon them selves the tremendous responsibility of intrusting the nation's defense to a s'nsle discovery, and were backing It with funds for which they must ac count some day, saw the days slipping by. and grimly realized that they were urevocably bound to the success or iailure on the key. It was too late now to attempt other projects, and xlory or defeat hung suspended on the Issue. Xo reports had been received, and no news had come from that deter mined little army that had sailed away to the south. Hence it was with some thing of a shock that the first word received was to the effect that the drj doclc could not be utilized. It seemed like the first dread handwriting em blazoned on the wall, foretelling fail ure, disaster, disgrace and war. and The picsident as he read it quoted "with inexpressible sadness: "Mene, rUene. Tekel " and his half-opened lips framed the rest. Then followed the requisition for Mipplic. and once again before any tletailed report had been received oame another demand. The island in the solitude seemed an insatiable monster, devouring national funds and giving back nothing in return. More days went by. bringing" nothing save distressing stories from- the orient, where a clash had taken place at Che mulpo between Japanese sailors and American marines. This was of such serious nature that apologies were tendered the Japanese embassy, .and then from the entire country burst a storm of protest and reiterated criti cisms of the administration, which was contumaciously accused of showing fhe white feather. From the western coast came appeal on appeal, the whole Pacific seaboard calling atten tion to its unprotected state and the imminence of its danger. Distressed and irate at the dearth of information, the secretary of the navy was on the point of sending a message to Brockton demanding news, when he received from Miami the terse message that in two nights more the admiral would report in person. That he b'ore nothing but a tale of disap pointment was surmised from the closing words of the admiral, who re quested that all those who had been party to the project should assemble secretly as before at the White House after nightfall. Haggard and worn, they came to rether. read the brief dispatch and waited. The president, his melan choly face set and grave, looked at them from cavernous eyes; but could oiler no consolation. There was noth ing to do but wait sit and wait for that messenger of ill omen who was to sound the knell of hope and tell what letters had been combined to spell the word "failure." In hushed voices they discus? cd the situation, and tried to evolve tome project for its alleviation. And then without preliminary an nouncement the door swung open un der the hand of the president's private secretary, and there stood framed in it the huge form of the admiral, his hand at salute, his eyes shining in triumph, and back of him stood Norma, her fa ther and Jenkins. Brockton advanced to the president's desk, and faced him and ihe secretary of the navy. "I have come to deliver my report in person, and with me are those who have given this nation the greatest engine of war that science has ever known." The room was electrified; but the president sprang to his feet and threw uj a restraining hand commanding si lence. "Well?" he queried, inviting further words; but Brockton's place had been taken by the shriveled figure of a diminutive old man, who put a trem bling hand cut to his friend and in a -voice of affection, hushed but exultant, exclaimed: "Paul, Paul, we've made good!" The other's hand came out to meet his, and the only sound heard was the president's fervent, "Thank God! Thank God!" The gates cf repression and emotion were down. These men had been tried to the breaking point, and now. when in cne moment their skies had cleared, they gave way. They hugged each other, repeatedly shook hands, and in the eyes of some there were un restrained tears. They crowded round the little group from the key and almonished each ether to silence. "Gentlemen." said the inventor, "we cave rendered wars nips useless. We need no armor! Increased speed on the waters is of no value to us. We have created- a machine that flies, not a thing of gas, of planes, or a kite. We cannot explain here as weft as if you were to go with us and see it, and what use we have made of your money." The secretary of the navy looked disappointed. His mind was too in tensely practical to jump to happy con clusions. "Can a flying machine whip a battle ship?" he asked, and would have continued; but the admiral brought his fist down on the desk with a mighty bang. "This one alone might do it! The others we'll have ready before they are called upon can whip the world." He stopped as if abashed by his own enthusiasm and lack of etiquette, looked at the president and the sec retary apologetically, and then in a less tempestuous voice went on: "All we ask is that you come with us so no one may see you, of course and then you'll have no cause for com plaint." His request was reasonable: but the3' were curious. After brief discus sion and arrangement they decided to go in motor cars, which many of those present knew how to drive, and within half an hour the entire party was whirling away through the side streets of the city, out into the resi dence sections, through long avenues of trees, past suburban homes, and finally to tfieir destination. The night was lighted only by the stars, which failed to disclose that strange monster of marvelous metal and unprecedented power which loomed up dimly before them in the jr a c rwm 1 1 FsavaT 5 fc fc j y iV L p JV 1 SWV SJtW J Sr B A Clash Had Taken field. It stood there on the stubble, dark and inert, massive and without grace, like seme gigantic turtle of a prehistoric age. Sentries halted them as they approached even as in time of strife, and compelled them to expose their identity. They went aboard while the admiral stood at the door waiting for the guard to come within, the last one explaining a slight delay by saying he thought for a moment that he had heard a noise as of some one creeping over the field, but had found nothing. "Sorry we can't illuminate," the In ventor explained; "but we shall a lit tle later after you have seen how it works." Jenkins threw a lever, and the heavy doors over the port came to with a dull metallic clang and were clasped. Within a little hooded space for ward a dim light exposed great banks of levers, switches and dials, and by its faint rays they found seats im provised for the occasion. Roberts threw out a hand, and the hum of great dynamos told that machinery had been set in motion. Back of them, in another apartment so closely screened that no streak of light might expose their presence to trjfe outside world, they saw Jenkins and a junior engineer watching the play of the wheels. Norma took her place beside her father. They felt vibrant shocks as the great airship throbbed and quivered, and then, save for the song of the machinery, all was serenely quiet and motionless. There was no sensation whatever, and they began vaguely to wonder when the flight was to take place, if that was the intention of their hosts. The voice of the ad miral, pent with elation, called: "Mr. President, and gentlemen, if you will all lean over back of you and look down you may see something." They cbeyed with a promptness that suggested some nerve strain, and saw that -they had been seated over broad glass plates of great thickness. while far below was an unanticipated picture. -They had -left the. earth, with that first preliminary jar, and now saw on its surface, pricked' out by the lights, the streets of the national capi tal. They were already a. mile above it and rapidly gaining higher altitudes, the horizon where other lights shone in the far distance expanding saucer like while they gazed. The sea, with here and there a slow-moving ship, came before their vision, and a. little dotting' of fire exposed a railway train crawling along on its journey. It was as if the earth bad fallen away into space and they alone were in a posi tion of security and solidity. "We shall require four hours of your time at least," .the admiral called, and with starts of surprise they looked to where he stood outlined against the light of the hoods, finding it hard to realze that they were not addressed by a being of another world. The of Ecer leaned over to the secretary of the navy and added: "I am going to give you our preliminary report, which will save writing it." Sessions made no reply, but turned to bis interrupted scrutiny of the pan orama on which the others were intent once more. They were being lifted higher and higher, and in this recession of the earth, its lights, which only a few moments before had been far apart, now appeared as spangles on a vast field of black. Above them through a transparency In the roof the stars in the clarity of the rarefied atmosphere gleamed brighter, throwing outward into the pall long scintillating arrows of fire. The strange creation of an abnormal old man and his daughter, the Magic Carpet of fable realized, swept upward into the dome of the sky, veering outward over the silent reaches of the ocean, and then, like a great auk in homing flight, swung off in a wide tangent toward the south western void, carrying them at a speed which they could not reckon. Below was nothing more to claim their atten tion; so, sclent and spellbound, they turned to discover what they might within this shell of mystery. Forward, where the hood was glow ing dimly, they saw the inventor stand ing calmly attentive to his task and scanning the faces of indicators be- Place at Chemulpo. fore him, some of which they con ceived must tell of altitudes, direction or forces under subjection. In the glare immediately betore him, bring ing out his face in Rembrandtesque relief, he seemed a patriarch whose superior knowledge had elevated him above the common paths of men and placed him on such an exalted plane of intelligence that he was beyond a standard of comparison. The consciousness that they were far above the traveled paths of all time lost its terrifying sense of strangeness and uncertainty, and they learned to trust this, structure -of metal whose great enlivened masses, en- KEPT UP FIRE Duke of Cambridge Took Lively In terest in the Sermon. "The late Dr. William M. Stonehill." said a college settlement worker of New York, "was called the bishop of the Bowery. It was a title of af fection. The Bowery loved this good man. "He sometimes used to laugh over the naivete of his Bowery audiences. He used tb say that in their frequent audible comments on his sermons' they reminded him of the famous duke, of Cambridge the old duke, you know. , "From his great pew the duke rum bled out all sorts of remarks and criticisms every Sunday morning. It would be, said Dr. Stonehill, like this: "Preacher 'Let us pray.' "Duke 'By all means. "Preacher prays for rain. 'i--'rilt-f' --"----- - ii-in-ru-uu-i.ri.nrLrL-n. trallcd with machinery, was hurtling with them through,. the night.. Th noise within was not sufficient to pre vent easy conversation; but they sat as men stricken dumb, being carried away into captivity by some dread ma gician of more singular power than was ever portrayed in Persian tales. "Stand clear of the shutters, gentle men!" the scientist called, turning his face in their direction, and they leaned forward just as Norma pressed a button. A sharp clashing noise smote their ears, and when next they looked at the ports, they, were shut off by metallic slides. Again the girl touched a button, and instantly the interior of the radioplane was flooded with sil very light. It was a disappointment, for sight gave no elucidation of the secret. A low rocf of unpainted metal arched above them. In one end were ordinary electrical dynamos, a motor, and a polished electrical apparatus which they could not understand, and beyond this, outside the hoods,, there was nothing whatever; only the signs of thurried,work, reugh, unpainted, and unpaneled. Rude benches, evidently placed for this occasion only, com prised all the trappings and furnish ings of this monster that was the van guard of modern transportation, and in whose keeping rested the nation's strength. They had expected in tricacies of construction; but before them was simplicity. They had pic tured strange manifestations of elec trical science ; but only a compact mass of brass rods and gleaming tubes was visible. The admiral read their un wonted curiosity. "I can't explain it quite," he said. "Dr. Roberts will tell you all about it pretty soon, when he can get away from piloting the ship. Look out for the shutters again. Norma is going to open them and shut off the lights. We are at our journey's end." A clash, a flash, and again they were in darkness, and with one accord they turned to the reopened ports. Beneath them now glittered the arc lights of the plant on the lonely Is land which they had peopled. The great blast furnace was spouting to ward them showers of glowing sparks and sheets of writhing flame, and be fore it, dwarfed by height into squatty gnomes, were those who incessantly fed it. The windows of the machine .shops were limned in squares of white, and out to one side, throwing its searchlight to and fro, there steamed a gunboat, while afar on the other boundary of the key its sister ship kept equally vigilant patrol. Industry was spread before them industry be tokening that night and day were be ing devoted to the country's need; telling through the hum of wheels and the roaring of the blast that the eagle from his lone aerie was sharpening his talons for the impending struggle, and preparing for a resistless flight into the red sun of war. Dumfounded and unable to com prehend that in so short a time they had been transported a distance which by all known methods would have taken a couple of days to trav erse, they stared at the scene opening fo their view, and while this bewilder ment continued the radioplane began a rapid descent in wide, sweeping cir cles, daintily picked out ail open spot immediately in front of the plant, and gently came to rest. CHAPTER XVII. To Meet the Enemy. A great ribbon of light from the watchful Columbia perforated the night, and as they emerged from the flying monster they discovered in this flaming pathway of white a line of shells similar to that which had con veyed them to the island. From the one nearest came the steady resound ing beat of hammers and the voices of men who were equipping it within, pre paratory to transforming tho dead, in active mass of metal into a thing of ebullient life and incredible activity. "Completing them at the rate of two a day now, gentlemen," informed Brockton, as he led the-party toward the machine shop, which was the near est building. And this they were to learn was the story cf the camp: Ac complishment, accomplishment every thing sacrificed to accomplishment! There was no recess from industry when they entered the shed-like build ing, and go where they would they saw nothing but men working like mad, who merely looked up from their occupations, saluted, and then resumed their tasks as though the president of the United States and his most emi nent advisers were not of sufficient im portance to excuse delay. Here was a little army of men, expert in their sev eral lines, comprehending the neces sity for haste, and imbued with only one idea: That their efforts were for their country. Soldiers were they who in other times would have shut their jaws and grimly stormed through shot and shell; but were now doing no less valiant acts when with every turn of a wheel or every blow of a hammer they threw mind, muscle and. heart into the uprearing of the nation's de fense, v (TO BE CONTINUED.) OF COMMENTS "Duke 'No good in that as long as the wind is in the east.' "Preacher (reading) 'Zaccheus stood forth and said. "Behold. Lord, one-half of my lands I gave to the poor." "Duke 'Too much, too much. Don't mind subscribing, but can't stand that. "Preacher quotes a certain mandmenL corn- "Duke 'Quite right, quite right, but very difficult sometimes.' ' ' "Preacher quotes another"command ment, which need not be -indicated. "Duke 'No, no! It was my brother Ernest did that"- Real Tragedy. Woman does not mind when there is a diversity of opinion concerning her looks. It is only when' there is no opinion at all flkat life -is a tragedy. - GOING THE PACE. 4Mng' Tortoise What, have you started a, motorcar? Snail Yes, one must move with -the times, your know. - Sheer white goods, in tact, any flaw wash goods when new, owe much of their. attractiveness to the way they are laundered, this .being done in a manner to enhance their textile beau' ty. Home laundering would be equal ly satisfactory if proper attention was given to starching, the first essential being good Starch, which has sufficient strength to stiffen, 'without thickening the goods. Try Defiance Starch and yon will be pleasantly surprised at the lmprovedvappearance of your work. Not Our Discovery. The Greek, Eratosthenes, 250 B. C taught the doctrine of the rotundity of the earth, and the Ideas of the sphere, its poles, axis, the equator, arctic and antarctic circles, equinoc tial points and the solstices were quite generally entertained by the wise men of that time. There were plenty of men in Rome, therefore, who were prepared to talk about the earth as a sphere and to make globes illustrating their ideas. $100 Reward, $100. TbP readers of this paper will be pleased to learn that tbere is at least one dreaucd disease that science has beea able to cure in all its stages, and that IB Catarrh. Hall's Catarrh Cure Is the only posit He cure now known to toe medical fraternity.. Catarrh being a consUtuUonai disease, requires a constitu tional treatrae.it. Hall's Catarrh Cure Is taken te ternallr. acting directly upon the blood and mucous surfaces of the system, thereby destroying the foundation of the disease, and trivhut the patient strength by banding up the constitution and aasfet tag nature In doing Its work. The proprietors have so much faith in Its curative powers that they offer One Hundred Dollars for any case that It talb to cure. Send for list of testimonials Address F. J. CHENEY 4c CO. Toledo, a Jtold by all Onisjdsts. 75c Take Hairs Family rills tor const IpaOoo. Cleaning the Stage. "We hope," said the spokesman of the committee, "to enlist your support In favor of a clean stage." "You have it," responded the theat rical manager, heartily. "Why, almost every one of my plays opens with a girl dusting everything in sight." The City of a Thousand Tongues. "Why do you devote so much time to the study of the languages? Are you going to study abroad?" "No. I want to be equipped to carry on an intelligent conversation with any one I may happen to meet In New York." Washington Star. That an article may be good as well ,as cheap, and give entire satisfaction, is proven bjMhe extraordinary sale of Defiance Starch, each package con taining one-third more Starch than can be had of any6ther brand for the same money. Unlikely. Whale What are you going to tell your wife when you get home? Jonah I don't know; I don't sup pose she would believe me if I should tell her that I had been to a fish din ner. The Bohemian. Asthmatics, Read This. If you are afflicted with Asthma write me at once and learn of something for which you "will be grateful the rest of your life. J. G. MeBride. Stella. Kebr. '. The habit of viewing things cheer fully, and of thinking about life hope fully, may be made to grow up in ua like any other habit. Smiles. Lewis' Single Binder straight 5c. Many smokers prefer them to 10c cigars. Your dealer or Lewis' Factory, Peoria, 111. It doesn't take much to satisfy most oeople who are self-satisfied. Tb fWHATjoYTHEYRBINGf as with joyous hearts and smiling faces they romp and play when in health and how conducive to health the games in which they indulge, the outdoor life they enjoy, the cleanly, regular habits they should be taught to form and the wholesome diet of which they should partake. How tenderly their health should be preserved, not by constant medication, but by careful avoidance of every medicine of an injuri ous or objectionable nature, and if at any time a remedial agent is required, to assist nature, only those of known excellence should be used; remedies which are pure and wholesome and truly beneficial in effect, like the pleasant laxative remedy, Syrup of Figs and Elixir of Senna, manufactured by the California Fig Syrup Co. Syrup of Figs and Elixir of Senna has come into general favor in many millions of well informed families, whose estimate of its quality and excellence is based upon personal knowledge and use. Syrup of Figs and Elixir of Senna hasalso met with the approval of physicians gen erally, because they know it is wholesome, simple and gentle in its action. We inform all reputable physicians as to the medicinal principles of Syrup of Figs and Elixir of Senna,-obtained by an original method, from certain plants known to them to act most beneficially, and presented in an agreeable syrup in ifornian blue figs are used to promote the pleasant taste;' therefore it is not a secret remedy, and hence we are free to refer to all well informed physicians, who do not approve of patent medicines and never favor indiscriminate self-medication. Please to remember and'teach your children also. that the genuine Syrup of Figs and Elixir of Senna always has the full name of the Company California Fig Syrup Co. plainly printed on the front of every package and that it is for sale in bottles of one size only. If any dealer offers any other than the regular Fifty cent size, or having printed thereon the name of any other company, do, not accept it. If you fail to get the genuine you will not get its beneficial effects. Every family snouia always nave a Dome the children, whenever a ALCOHOL-3 PER CENT AWtaMe Preparation for As stmrtatiiW teFotfand totria- wglheSkMaarJts ana Bowels of I ftomofcs Dtgesfion,Cherful- 8 B nessand Kest.Contains neither Opkim.Morphine nor Mineral Not Nar c otic Wjsr tfouorsimamaBt MxSmmm Anmimt - tfmhfinm Xtnr. KS A pcrfecl Remedy forConstipa lion . Sour Stomach.DiaiThoea, ana" LOSS OF SLEEP. Facsimile Signature of The Centaur Company;. NEW YORK. s &l i Copy ofWrapfNb When Courage Failed. "Duke," said the heiress, eagerly, "did you ee father?" "Yes." "Well?" "We talked about the weather." "What? Lose your nerve again? Why don't you brace up and talk like a man a subject of a king on whose domain the sun never sets!" "Can't," moaned the duke. "All the time I was in your father's office he kept grinning at a big painting." "What painting?" "The battle of Bunker Hill" Li pincott's. It Jarred Him. Howell How. did you come to break your engagement with that girl? Powell I had reason to think that she hadn't enough practical knowledge to make her a good helpmeet. Howell What gave you that idea? Powell I told her one day that the hens weren't laying, and she said she supposed that would affect the price of egg coal. The extraordinary popularity of fine white goods this summer makes the choice of Starch a matter of great im portance. Defiance Starch, being free from all injurious chemicals, is the only -one which Is safe to use on fine fabrics. Its great strength as a stiffen er makes half the usual quantity of Starch necessary, with the result of perfect finish, equal to that when the goods were new. They Deserve (t. She (horror-stricken) 1 hat's my new spring hat in the chair there! What are you doing. John? He (meekly) I am sitting on the style. Mary. Red. Weak, Weary, Watery Eyea Relieved by Murine Kye Remedy. Com pounded by Experienced Physicians. Con forms to Pure Food and Drug Laws. Mu rine Doesn't Smart; Soothes Eye Pain. Try Murine in Your Eyes. At Druggists. When you wear out a suit of clothes you can generally get another, but it's different when you wear out your welcome. & saaaratTHaaaaB XMSnaranteed under the Faodaaf Every Home on nana, as it is equally Denenciai ior tne parents and laxative remedy is required. USTOMA . Por Inflmti Mad CbSUxm i The Kad Yw Have Always Boight Bears the SlgDiEstOM of t rvi In Use For Over Thirty Yeers CASTWU There's Danger Ahead if you've been neglecting a cold. Don' t experiment with your Health. Get a remedy that you how will cure that remedy is DR.D.JAYNE'S EXPECTORANT It's safe. In the severest cases of coughs, colds, bronchitis, croup, in flammation of chest and lungs it is the most effective remedy knows. -It does its work quickly, removes the cane of the disease Sot J eterytchete in three tize boltlc. $1.00. 50c, 25c 10 lEJUrriFUL POST CAMS "LANGUAGE OF THE FLOWERS" AND THE FARM MAGAZINE A FULL YEAR FOR ONLY 25 CTS. The Farm Magazine is a. soml-monthlj- farm paper tbat every larnier will rot only enjoy rcatlintr. but millalbo Una an Invaic-ible aid la bis farm work. Tbo Farm Stacazlnclstbe connection hotwprn the former and the agricultural colleges and tbe government experimental station. , Every issue of Trp Farm Mairailrte has especially prepared articles tbat are ot vital importance to tho farmer. The ten post canlft are neautlfnl reproduc tions from nature that will be appreciated by each member of the family, suitable for an allium collection or for correspondence. This offer will not appear again; iced Sic In stamps or silver to THE FARM MAGAZINE, OMAHA, NEi. 1 Cedar Shingles f! unequalled for wear and ap pearance. Kequire no dressing every Tear as do prepared roof ings. Last much longer and look better. The best WASHINGTON RED CEDAR SHINULES bear this mark, remember the name. which the wholesome Cal- BW i cmb " .aaVftw ' ' 11 aLaWaat" att aW :-f l-.-